The Frames - Burn The Maps & The Standard - August

If the album art is the perfect expression of the music, what is there to say about the sound?


If you wanted to make an exploration into how sound and images are reflective of each other, you probably would be hard pressed to find better examples than these two album covers.


The music for both albums is dark, barren and depressing, as well as more than slightly beautiful. Everything about these two releases can be summed up by how perfect their album art is.

I guess all I can really do is let the albums speak for themselves. Each has a rather flawed beauty, but is definitely worth a listen.


The Frames - Burn The Maps

The Standard - August

*Note - this is Mr. Manchuria's post, though due to account issues, I'm posting it.

Bocce - Hi Birdbear / Can't Reason Do It?

Certainly has been some time since a post...
Guess I'll start things back up with an album that embodies the good times...

Bocce is an Indie/Punk Dance group, with an uplifting sound that just doesn't stop growing on you. Though less derived from the contemplative, they make example out of sound alone. Each track has a steady flow to it, which makes their music easy to love. Though their sound is carefree in a sense, it is quite complex. Each track is a melody of multiple keyboard lines, backed by driving drumlines and the occasional vocals. The wide range of textures and styles found across their sound bring a lot to the album, and allows the band to delve into different ends of electronica.

Bocce's sound is driven by keyboards and synthesizers. They themselves say "The band uses keyboards, more keyboards, fake keyboards, omnichords, voices, drum machines, percussion and a rock and roll drum kit to create sounds." to describe the wide range of sound found across their style. They make great use of driving rhythms from the kit, which go well accompanied by complex tones put out by the many keyboards, and the occasional vocals. The vocals themselves aren't quite anything beautiful, but they fit the music perfectly in this sense. They're fast, upbeat, and carefree. The lyrical content also suits the band's sound, being focused on anything but depth. Fun lyrics, more or less. Couldn't quite quote any of it, since any portion of the lyrics are intertwined with the entire song in a way that makes cutting out a piece here or there impossible.

The greatest thing about Bocce is that they're able to make happy, upbeat music without being cheesy, annoying, or generally lame. At this point, they're probably one of the only upbeat bands I enjoy this much. Bocce brings a feel-good sound that is just that - something that feels good to listen to. It's to the point that even when I listen to their music in excess [for example, this album 3 or 4 times a day], it doesn't grow trying in any way whatsoever. Their music is easy to listen to, and makes it impossible not to move along with the rhythm. The entire album is wrapped in a sort of feeling, one which pulls the feeling that went into the music, which in the end, translates to the listener. You can't help but feel the music when you're listening to this.

Bocce's something feel-good and danceable, with a strong sound.
Any Electronica fan will get a lot out of this.

Note on the album art -
There kinda sorta isn't any? When my friend bought this album from Bocce, they tore a page out of a history book, spray painted "bocce" on it with a stencil in gold, and wrapped the CD in it. Not quite sure if there's any official album art, aside from the stencil. I like their way better, anways.

Myspace

Bocce - Hi Birdbear / Can't Reason Do It?